I Believe
by cjryuu
Summary: The air around her pulsed. It seemed to be alive with the very power that was emitting from their foe. One Shot


**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the song I Believe by Diamond Rio**

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The air around her pulsed. It seemed to be alive with the very power that was emitting from their foe. Kagome Higurashi let her brown fall out on the battle field before her. Her friends, Sango, Miroku, and Inuyasha were lined up in a loose semi-circle just in front of her. Each had their favorite weapon drawn, at the ready. Sango's Hiraikotsu was out before her, her slender (yet skilled) hands tight around their leather straps. Miroku had his left hand intertwined with the prayer beads that sealed the dangerous kazaana on his right hand. His mauve eyes searched the field before them for any signs of the saimyō-shō. Shippou, the little fox demon was alert on her shoulder, his small fangs bared in an attempt to look imposing. Kagome felt her hands reach behind her for her bow and an arrow out the her quiver.

Before them stood their most hated enemy, Naraku. His long, black hair flowed out from him in an array that would a resemble a cape if he wanted. Blood red eyes glared at each of them, as if they could rip out your soul by the power of a mere thought. The hanyou's snowy baboon pelt flowed like loose robes. Naraku smiled.

Inuyasha cursed. Tetsusaiga gleamed in the light of the dawn, a dawn that had taken its time in coming. The day after the new moon was always a relief to the inu-hanyou. How Naraku had chanced upon them on that particular night no one had a clue, but after the first ray of light had slowly crept over the tops of the distant hills, Inuyasha's youkai blood had taken effect, sending surges of power throughout his muscular frame. Amber eyes reflecting the light of the sun and the fury that burned deep within the hanyou's heart met blood red orbs in a futile attempt to send doubts within the receiver.

Kagome's breath was shallow. Already they had taken a beating from the night's assault. Inuyasha was tired, he had to be, she told herself. He never slept on those nights when the moon was dark, proclaiming that he was too venerable. When Kagura and Kanna had chanced upon the tiring group Kagome had thought everything would soon be over. Now she berated herself for ever doubting the strength and honor of her friends. Sango had taken up her Hiraikotsu without hesitation, using it's heaviness to somehow knock Kagura from her feather, taking Kanna out for the moment. Miroku's wind tunnel had managed to surprise them for a while.

Then they took notice to Inuyasha's state. No matter how hard her friends had fought, the two youkai had fought the stronger. They had to dodge Kagura's Dance of the Dragons at the same time trying to have Kanna captured them within her mirror. Kagome tried her arrows, Inuyasha had tried Tetsusaiga's dull edge. Shippou had tried his many tricks, but not even their efforts had put any weight to their favor until the dawn had come.

But with the coming of their sure to be savior, had also come to be their death it seemed. For with the first rays of the dawn, as Inuyasha's strength pounded back into his being, the dark and deadly form of Naraku had appeared dark against the very icon of their win, the sun. Kagome and everyone else had stopped their battle to regard the late arrival.

"Inuyasha," the hanyou taunted. Kagome felt Inuyasha's anger from where she stood. Importance dripped off of every word. Kagome felt a heavy burden upon her shoulders all of a sudden, as if this one battle could be the rise of fall of them all. The final confrontation.

"Naraku," Inyasha replied in turn.

"We have much to discuss," Naraku smiled his sly grin. Inuyasha smiled back, Tetsusaiga transforming into its most powerful form.

"No turning back," Inuyasha said, mostly to himself although Kagome heard his words as clear as if he had spoken them to herself. Silently she nodded in determination. He was right, there would be no turning back from this fight, whether in life or death.

"You're right," the dark hanyou agreed. Tentacles shot out from under the baboon suit, crawling towards each of the group. Kagura agilely whipped out a new feather from her bun, allowing her and Kanna prime seats to the eventual slaughter. Knowing full well that neither of them actually cared who won the battle, Kagome turned her attention to the slimy tentacle that had decided to pursue her. Taking the incitive, she shot an arrow at the worm. The arrow was engulfed by a pink light as it ripped it course through the slimy flesh. Naraku barely felt the pain.

Sango let Hiraikotsu fly, taking the ends off of a the closest tentacles. Miroku used his wind tunned to suck up the ends. With their combined efforts it was just enough for Inuyasha to have a clear path to his main target.  
She caught Hiraikotsu easily, sending it into attack mode again, as the slithering worms regenerated, coming at her anew. With Hiraikotsu flying through the air, she was hardly without a defense. She took out the sword at her side, using it to assault those tentacles that dared threaten her. All of her slayer instincts were being used now, for as Hiraikotsu came up just behind her, she amazingly kept up her sword attack and caught the bone boomerang with her free hand. Deftly, with agility that she had never before used nor known the sword was sheathed and Hiraikotsu was her main weapon of choice once more. Acting as both a shield and a weapon she evaded Naraku's attacks and took down more and more of his tentacles.

Miroku looked upon the slayer with intensified awe. "_If we make away with our lives after this, I will tell her how I truly feel_," he thought boldly. A promise he meant to keep. Now it was his turn to be amazing though. With speed that nearly rivaled Inuyasha's Miroku caught all of the tentacles that fell away from the Hiraikotsu, sucking them up with his kazaana. He would have turned the deadly wind tunnel upon Naraku himself, but his conscious held him back. Though this was the monster that had cursed his grandfather and father, he knew deep within his heart that the kill belonged to Inuyasha, and him alone. Miroku was really but a pawn in the scheme of things, a helpful addition to the hanyou's forces. A much needed addition in his thinking. Although he too had been left devastated by Naraku's evilness he wouldn't truly dream of taking away Inuyasha's kill.

Shippou felt brave. The young kitsune knew his place in the battle and would not shirk his duties. For father, who had been slain by two brothers for a simple jewel shard, he thought daringly. He used his favorite attack, the gigantic top, upon the tentacles causing some of them to lay withering upon the grassy plain. Shippou smiled.

Inuyasha charged in, cutting down any of Naraku's little _'distractions' _that dared try and deny him his prey. For that was what he had become, the hunter. For all of Naraku's scheming and power he had none of Inuyasha's admirable qualities. Through the months of training, learning, and searching the young hanyou had done ever since the day that Kagome had pierced the Shikon no Tama with her purifying arrow, Inuyasha had come to understand that he was nothing without those who now stood by his side. Miroku's kazaana, Sango's Hiraikotsu, Shippou's tricks, and Kagome's arrows were his only shields at that moment, and Naraku had no chance in hell at even coming close to understanding what that meant.

Naraku laughed. His dark, malicious laughter rolled out from him, spreading dread throughout the surrounding areas. _'The mutt thinks himself better does he_,' he thought darkly. '_A danger to me, Naraku_?' His laughter echoed in the very hills that he had just come from. As the younger hanyou charged in Naraku simply discarded all thoughts of attacking him in a unpredictable manner. Drawing in his power, he stood upright in the form of a man. The tentacles dissolved into puddles of black blood, strewn throughout the meadow. "Fight me then Inuyasha, fight me and learn the truth of power," he challenged. The hanyou bit at the bait, sending the power of Tetsusaiga's Wind Scar racing his way. At the last possible second Naraku merely hopped out of the way, landing behind Inuyasha who was so intent on the attack that it was too late when he felt Naraku's newly grown talons scraping against the flesh of his back, racking against each of his ribs.

Inuyasha screamed. He never screamed before as he did now. He nearly dropped his precious Tetsusaiga in the blindness of pain. He knew, beyond a doubt, that Naraku had just injected some form of miasma into the inu-hanyou's life blood, but Inuyasha did not care. In a rush he whipped around, throwing the Tetsusaiga into a simple slicing attack. It caught the unsuspecting and cocky Naraku across the stomach, causing the bloody eyes of his enemy to round in surprise. Black blood dripped from the wound, but still he stood. Inuyasha's own, crimson blood splattered to the grassy floor mixing with the black mess in intricate patterns. They both stood, images of their stubborn prides, although clearly they were both injured. "You've learned some new tricks Inuyasha," Naraku replied with a cocky smile that Inuyasha returned. The both charged in again.

Naraku had to admit, he had been taken by surprise. With the slice across his belly he knew that Inuyasha had indeed grown stronger. '_What a mistake it has been in underestimating this one_,' he thought grimly as he began dodging the Tetsusaiga's attacks, throwing in his own attacks every once in a while.

So it went on, until the sun stood high in the sky. The spectators could only watch in grim hope that good would prevail and the most evil of evils would be banished from the earth. The fighters could only attack or dodge, both tiring greatly, but neither willing to forego defeat. Suddenly Naraku laughed. He saw an opening in Inuyasha's defenses. With just the right attack... Decisively he whipped past the demon slayer, unsheathing her pitiful sword as he went. "WATCH OUT INUYASHA," the miko reincarnate screamed with the realization of the moment. "Damn her," Naraku thought as the sword bit through open air, while Inuyasha's Tetsusaiga met with the blackest of hearts.

But Naraku wasn't without one last trick. In a split second the tentacles were back. Inuyasha was prepared, he brought up Tetsusaiga in a heartbeat, only to be met with thin air as the purple worms sped through the air towards... Kagome.

She felt only a slight sting as the thin tentacle shot through her stomach. It knocked her to the ground in the same instant that Naraku fell to the pool of his own blood mixed with Inuyasha's. She lay, shaking as the edges of her vision suddenly began to dim. She could feel strong arms holding her up, clutching her to the body of someone she knew so well. "I-Inuyasha," she whispered, her voice sounding so pitiful to her own ears. The hanyou held her down, looking deep within her brown eyes. Kagome wasn't surprised for some reason to find them full of tears.

"Hold on Kagome," he pleaded with her. She smiled satisfied with her death.

_Every now and then,  
Soft as breath upon my skin,  
I feel you come back again,  
And it's like you haven't been,  
Gone a moment from my side.  
Like the tears were never cried;  
Like the hands of time are holding you and me. _

"Is he gone," she asked, already knowing the answer. Inuyasha nodded. "Do not cry," she pleaded. She saw him bite his lip.

_And with all my heart I'm sure,  
We're closer than we ever were.  
I don't have to hear or see,  
I've got all the proof I need.  
There are more than angels watching over me:  
I believe; Oh, I believe. _

"Kagome, I'm sorry," he whispered.

_That when you die your life goes on:  
It doesn't end here when you're gone.  
Every soul is filled with light,  
It never ends and if I'm right,  
Our love can even reach across eternity:  
I believe; Oh, I believe. _

In that instant Kagome felt everything that he must be feeling. Love filled her heart, the heart that was every beating less and less... She knew his heart now, where it lay. She was satisfied, happy with the end. "I love you," she whispered closing her eyes into the darkness of a sleep she now welcomed. Inuyasha bowed his head, allowing his lips to meet her's in a kiss he should have given her in life...

_Forever, you're a part of me.  
Forever, in the heart of me.  
I will hold you even longer if I can.  
Oh, the people who don't see the most,  
See that I believe in ghosts.  
If that makes me crazy, then I am,  
'Cause I believe. _

She stood before the class, taking a steadying breath. First days were always the hardest. "Class this is Kagome Higurashi, a new student from Tokyo," the teacher smiled broadly. Kagome smiled too, taking in the sight of her new classmates. In the corner of the room sat a beautiful girl who was arguing with a boy who seemed to have taken quite the liking to her... until her hand connected with his face. Kagome felt herself hold in her laughter. "Ugh," her teacher sighed. "Please take a seat behind Mister Motomiya." Kagome nodded, walking towards the seat indicated.

As she sat, the boy in front of her turned around. "Hello..." she greeted him somewhat transfixed when she met his honey colored eyes. They stayed like that for a moment, each of them taking in the sight of the other. His snow-white hair that cascaded down his shoulders, the twinkle of pride and kindness in his eyes. Her blue-hued hair, soft brown eyes full of so many conflicting emotions...

"Do I know you," they both asked at the same time.

**.:End:.**


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